^LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



UNITED STATES OP AMERICA. f| 



vt. 





1 r^lrS 











REMARKS 



ON THE 



SLAVERY OF THE BLACK PEOPLE ; 



ADDRESSED 



TO THE 

CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES, 



PARTICULARLY 



TO THOSE WHO ARE IN LEGISLATIVE OR EXECUTIVE STATIONS 
IN THE GENERAL OR STATE GOVERNMENTS ; 



AND ALSO 



TO SUCH INDIVIDUALS AS HOLD THEM IN BONDAGE, 



BY JOHN PARRiSH, 



PHILADELPHIA : 
PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, BY EIMBER, CONRAD, & CO. 



1806. 



PREFACE. 



— — 

BELIEVING in the inward manifestation of Di- 
vine Grace, I was, in early life, drawn to regard its 
instructions as a sure guide through tlvs world, and as the 
means of preparation for a future and better state. The 
human mind, through the effectual operation of this bles- 
sed Principle, becoming redeemed from evil, its capacity 
for the reception of heavenly impressions is strengthened, 
and being united in love to its Almighty Benefactor, it 
expands in fervent desire for the prosperity and happi- 
ness of the rational creation, agreeably to the command- 
ment recited by the apostle, " that he whc loveth God, 
love his brother also." In a measure of this love, and un- 
der a sense of religious duty, I have been engaged thus to 
make known the exercise of my mind on a subject, which, 
I conceive, is deeply interesting to the common weal, and 
as nearly affecting the peace and comfort of individuals, 
as any that, for many years, has claimed public attention, 
I hope that none may suffer prejudice, or the bias of inter- 
est, to disqualify them for true judgment, or a due estima- 
tion of truths and facts ; which, I trust, if impartially weigh- 
ed, will carry conviction and excite a degree of com- 
miseration and sympathy, for a class of mankind that have 
but few who are willing to acknowledge them as brethren 
or cordially disposed to espouse their cause. 

Possessing but little advantage from education, my 
style may appear very simple and inelegant, but having 
no view to popularity or the least degree of pecuniarv 
emolument, my sole inducement being for the relief of a 
concerned mind that seeks the welfare of my country, I 
hope the essay will meet with a charitable construction, 
and that no offence may be taken at the plain, pointed 
terms, in which I have believed myself constrained to 
speak. 



REMARKS ON SLAVERY, &c. 



To the Inhabitants of the United States of America, more 
especially the Rulers, and such as hold Slaves. 

a When the judgments of the Lord are in the earth, the inhabitants of 
the world will learn righteousness." Isa. xxvi. 9. 

ABOUT half a century past, the natives of 
this land were suffered to make inroads on its white 
inhabitants. They burnt towns, drove back ar- 
mies, massacred manv of the people on the fron- 
tiers, and took a number of captives ; which occa= 
sioned many in this part of the continent to shud- 
der, and their countenances to turn pale. 

The society of Friends, the people called 
Quakers, although they had for many years repeat- 
edly advised and cautioned their members against 
importing or purchasing Slaves, were renewedly 
led to inquire, " Is there not a cause — and the 
subject becoming increasingly impressive, about 
the year 1758 they were engaged in endeavouring 
to cleanse their hands from this pollution, and 
through patient perseverance, were favoured to be 
freed therefrom. 

At the commencement of the war between Great- 
Britain and America, the people, sensible of the im- 
pending troubles and distress commonly attendant 
on such occasions, and clearly seeing that righte- 

B 



ousness alone is promotive of civil well-being, 
were drawn into a serious consideration of many 
subjects among us needing a reform, and some so 
prominent as to require immediate correction. 
Under this impression the representatives in Con- 
gress declared in 1774, Article II. " We will 
neither import nor purchase any Slaves imported 
after the first day of December next, after which 
time we will wholly discontinue the Slave-trade ; 
and will neither be concerned in it ourselves, nor 
will we hire our vessels, nor sell our commodities 
or manufactures to those who are concerned in 
it."* — Article VIII. " And will discountenance 
and discourage every species of extravagance and 
dissipation, especially all horse- racing, and all kinds 
of gaming, cock-fighting, exhibitions of shews, 
plays, and other expensive diversions and entertain- 
ments." 

And in 1776 it appeared to be an established 
creed as stated in the Declaration of Independence, 
— lt We hold these truths to be self-evident, that 
all men are created equal, that they are endowed 
by their Creator with certain unalienable rights ; 
that amongst these are life, liberty, and the pur- 
suit of happiness." 

The Bill of Rights, the Conventions in the dif- 
ferent states, and the Constitution of the United 
States, all spake the same language, f Here the 

* Virginia and Maryland appear to have considered this of perpetual 
obligation by their Assemblies passing 1 law s accordingly*, 
f See Appendix, A. 



light was set upon the candlestick, that all who 
were in the house (the United States) might behold 
things in their proper colours. " Had I not have 
spoken unto you, ye would have had no sin, but 
now ye have no cloak for your sin," was the lan- 
guage of Christ to the Jews. 

Suffer me to expostulate with you, O ye inhab- 
itants of the land of my nativity ! The enslaving 
our fellow-men, and selling them into cruel bon- 
dage, is a national evil, and will, I believe, most 
assuredly draw down national judgments. War, 
pestilence, and famine, are recorded in sacred writ 
to be such. One cloud is past over,* under which 
many weeping widows and fatherless children were 
left to mourn the loss of the heads of their tribes ; 
many great men of the earth were put to flight, 
and knew not where to find refuge ; some retired 
to the mountains, or the woods, for a place of 
safety ; and in the time of extremity they looked 
up to their slaves for protection ; and though some 
for the sake of liberty made their escape, yet many 
were found faithful to the trust reposed in them ; 
and not a few of the wealthy inhabitants became so 
reduced through various causes, that they and their 
families had scarcely sufficient for subsistence. 
Here was a time when famine threatened, notwith- 
standing the fruitfulness of our soil. The fly has 
been suffered to go through the fields of corn, to 
bring a blast and cause it to wither, so as to dis- 
courage the husbandman from sowing his fields as 



4 

usual. — The worm and the wevil, like an army, 
have entered the stacks and barns, and rendered the 
grain in some places of little value. Our fruit-trees 
of latter years have been remarkably smitten, so 
that the product has been small, and not come to 
that perfection as formerly. The rain has been 
withheld, at seasons, in a remarkable manner, 
e j,o that a shower has not been witnessed to moisten 
the earth for upwards of ninety days in some 
places. The water-courses and ponds have been 
dried up, and the wells have failed; insomuch 
that waggoners on the road have not been able to 
get a supply of water to quench the thirst of their 
dumb beasts ; it may therefore be justly said now 
as in the days of the Lord's prophet Amos, chap, 
iv. one judgment or warning succeeded another, 
whereby the fruits of the earth were smitten and 
withered, in one place for lack of rain, and in others 
where it was more plentiful, there were blasting and 
mildew, the caterpillar and the palmer- worm de- 
voured. Though these were evident tokens of Di- 
vine displeasure, there was cause for the complaint 
to be uttered, " Yet have ye not returned unto 
me, saith the Lord." Pestilence and the sword 
were also sent, so that the stink of their camps 
came up into their nostrils; " yet have ye not 
returned unto mc, saith the Lord." — The call was 
extended still further, 41 Prepare to meet thy God, 
O Israeli" — A pestilential disease has been re- 
peated in our land from one year to another, and 
many of the corpses of the deceased have become 



5 



so offensive as to render it necessary to commit 
them immediately to the grave ; still it is to be 
feared that the same cause of complaint remains 
with too many, that they have not returned to the 
Lord ; but contrarywise, have returned to their 
cruelties on the human species, to their dissipa- 
tion, their sports and plays, and the many abomi- 
nations, which, in the time of extremity, were re- 
probated and testified against,* as offensive in the 
sight of Heaven. The same causes produce the 
same effects : — remove the cause, and the effect 
will cease — It is righteousness that exalts a na- 
tion, but sin is a reproach to any people. How 
do unrighteousness and dissipation abound ! Late- 
ly, when the general Legislature was sitting to 
make laws for the good of the nation, a horse-race 
being set up in the vicinity of the seat of Govern- 
ment, and multitudes of people of different ranks 
from the highest to the lowest, flocking thither, this 
scene of wantonness and sinful pastime was with 
its concomitant evils countenanced and encouraged 
by those who should be a terror to evil-doers, and a 
praise to them that do well. 

But above all things, Slavery, and the robbing 
men of their rights, appears to be one of the 
greatest enormities in the land. These things 
have pressed upon my spirit day and night for years 
past, and I believe it right to caution and warn 
such as are concerned therein. 



* See Declaration of Congress. 



6 



The cruelties inflicted on the poor Africans and 
their descendants, may, probably have more deeply 
affected my mind than many others, from the early 
impressions which were made in my minority, 
more than sixty years past, and which have con- 
tinued down to the present time with increasing 
weight. Some of these cruelties came immedi- 
ately under my notice, and others I received from 
the undoubted authority of respectable persons, as 
well as from publications of pamphlets and news- 
papers which have fallen into my hands. I re- 
member, when a young man, being in the lower 
part of Maryland, I saw a mulatto female stripped 
and tied to a horse-rack, where she received many 
stripes on her bare back, by the hand of a cruel, 
hard-hearted overseer, with a hickory-stick; every 
stroke bruised and mangled the flesh of the tortured 
victim, whose cries were enough to affect the most 
obdurate heart, — yet with all my entreaty I could 
not prevail on the deputy to desist and let her down; 
and notwithstanding I exposed myself to the cen- 
sure of both man and master, which I did not escape, 
I was induced, from her bitter cries, to interfere, and 
let her down. Instances of this sort, as well as mul- 
titudes of others towards this unhappy race of our 
fellow- creatures, some of which will be mentioned 
in the course of this w r ork, have so deeply affected 
my mind, that I believe it to be a duty at this my 
advanced time of life to appear on behalf of, and to 
" open my mouth for the dumb, and such as are 
" appointed to destruction." 



I believe it is right that the axe should be laid to 
the root of this corrupt tree. I trust I am no man's 
enemy, and desire to give no just occasion to have 
any ; and if I had it in my power to do a kindness 
to a member of any of the different legislatures, or 
to a private individual, who remains in the practice 
of holding their fellow-mortals in bondage, I should 
be willing to serve them. Far be it from me to 
call for fire to come down from heaven, to destroy 
those who are withholding justice.... the common 
right of men. That I must leave.... the judge 
stands at the door. " Judgment is mine, saith the 
Lord, and I will repay it." My concern is to 
relieve a pained mind, which hath been deeply ex- 
ercised on account of those captives, who are 
groaning under hard task-masters ; and am also en- 
gaged that their masters, by pursuing a conduct 
different from the general practice, may experience 
peace and happiness, gaining the affections of their 
servants by a fatherly christian care over them. 
For I am comforted in an unshaken belief, that 
the Most High, who sustains the character of 
Almighty, has heard the groans of this oppressed 
part of mankind, and will arise for their deliverance : 
Such as observe the signs of the times, may see, 
he has already arisen, the work doth progressively 
advance, and I believe, that all the combinations of 
human policy shall not be able to prevent the de- 
liverance of this people from their wretched state 
of thraldom . 



8 



Seeing these poor people are seized and fettered 
in irons, and sold into unconditional bondage into 
the Southern Governments (which is and has been 
much practised within the United States) there to 
linger out the remainder of their wretched lives, 
and have no helper from any authority ; surely 
they have just cause to complain, and look up to 
government and those in power for redress of 
grievances : And let it be remembered that they 
never forfeited life or liberty, and were, by the pre- 
decessors of those now in office, virtually pro- 
claimed free. 

I am no politician, but it is clear that the fun- 
damentals of all good governments, being equal 
liberty and impartial justice, the constitution and 
laws ought to be expressed in such unequivocal 
terms as not to be misunderstood, or admit of 
a double meaning. 

The preamble to the constitution is plain ; "We, 
the people of the United States, in order to form 
a more perfect union, establish justice, insure 
domestic tranquillity, promote the general welfare 
and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and 
posterity, do ordain and establish." &c. Any ex- 
pressions in such an instrument calculated to ad- 
mit of partial construction or different meaning, in 
order to enslave a particular race of men, after 
having proclaimed " that all have an unalienable 
right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, " 
would be ignoble, and below the dignity of men 
qualified to fill such important stations. If it were 



9 



not meant as is declared, to form a more perfect 
union, it must have a contrary tffect, and instead 
of securing domestic tranquillity, it will conse- 
quently tend to promote insurrection, and lay waste 
the strength of the government, by depriving the 
coloured people of those rights, which had just 
before been pronounced, and held up to their view; 
as a member of congress declared, when these 
people petitioned for a redress of grievances, that 
every one in that predicament, of which there were 
so many hundred thousands, laid waste the Na- 
tions' strength, &x. And nothing can be more 
contrary to the blessing of liberty, than to make 
them liable to unconditional bondage, without the 
consoling prospect of ever being redeemed there- 
from. 

A house divided against itself cannot stand; nei- 
ther can a government or constitution : this is 
coincident with the present chief Magistrate's 
opinion in his Notes on the State of Virginia, 
page 173. 

" With what execration shall the statesman be 
loaded, that suffers one half of the citizens to 
trample on the rights of the other ; and can the 
liberty of a nation be thought secure, when we 
have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in 
the minds of the people that these liberties are the 
gift of God, that they are not to be violated, but 
with his wrath ? Indeed, I tremble for my country, 
when I reflect that God is just.... and that his jus- 
tice cannot sleep for ever.... Considering numbers, 

c 



10 



nature, and natural means only, a revolution of the 
wheel of fortune, an exchange of situations is 
among possible events : that it may become prob- 
able by supernatural interference ; the Almighty 
has no attribute that can take sides with us in such 
a contest." 

There is a species of the Slave-trade carried on 
in the United States, which, in cruelty, equals that 
to Africa. A class of men whose minds seem to 
have become almost callous to every tender feeling, 
having agents in various places, suited to their 
purpose, travel through different states, and by 
purchase, or otherwise, procure considerable num- 
bers of this people, which consequently occasions 
a separation of the nearest connections in life, 
husbands from wives, and parents from children, 
the poignant sensations marked on their mournful 
countenances being disregarded, they are taken in 
droves through the country, like herds of cattle, 
but with less commiseration ; for, being chained 
or otherwise fettered, the weight and friction of their 
shackles naturally producing much soreness and 
pain, they are greatly incommoded in their travel. 
Jails, designed for the security of such as have for- 
feited their liberty by a breach of the laws, are, 
throughthe countenance of some in the magistracy, 
made receptacles for this kind of merchandize ; and 
when opportunity presents for moving them fur- 
ther, it is generally in the dead of night, that their 
cries might not be heard, nor legal measures pur- 
sued to restore to their rights, such as have been 



11 



kidnapped ; others are chained in the garrets or 
cellars of private houses, till the number becoming 
nearly equal to the success which may have been 
expected, they are then conveyed on board, and 
crouded under the hatches of vessels secretly sta- 
tioned for the purpose, and thus transported to 
Petersburgh in Virginia, or such other parts as 
will insure the best market, and many others are 
marched by land to unknown destined places. 

Is it not a melancholy circumstance that such 
an abominable trade should be suffered in a land 
boasting of liberty ? While I was waiting, with 
other friends, on the Legislature of Maryland at 
their session in 1803, it was well known that a 
vessel lay in the river below Baltimore to take in 
slaves, a practice frequent on the waters of Mary- 
land, Delaware, and some other places. On the 
presentation of Friends' Memorial, a committee 
being appointed, reported two resolves : — One, 
that it was reasonable an act should pass to pre- 
vent husband being separated from wife, and pa- 
rents from children under ten years of age ; the 
other to prevent persons set free, at a given time, 
by will or otherwise, from being sold and carried 
out of the state ; but neither of these objects could 
be obtained. These flagrant violations of the 
rights of humanity were set forth in a humble man- 
ner by the free people of colour in their petition 
(before-mentioned) to Congress at their last ses 
sion held in Philadelphia, on behalf of their suffer- 



12 



ing brethren in captivity.* So that in many of 
these gi ievous cases no redress is granted the 
suppliants of the coloured people, nor to others 
applying on their behalf, either from the General 
Government, or those of the different states. 
What will posterity think of such abuse of power 
entrusted to rulers for the benefit, protection, 
and general good of the people ? Verily there is a 
God that judgeth in the earth ! who is a refuge for 
the oppressed, and will in his own time plead their 
cause. 

The Congress, professing such implicit regard to 
the Constitution as to decline any interference in 
relieving this abject class of the human species, 
could with much readiness enact the Fugitive Bill 
which authorizes a slave-holder or his deputy to go 
through every State in the Union, even where sla- 
very is not tolerated ; and by the evidence of one 
man, taken before a single magistrate (and he per- 
haps interested in the business) bring back the 
poor fugitive, who, after enduring stripes and other 
cruel treatment, may be sold to the southern tra- 
ders, generally known by the name of Georgia 
men. 

In the sacred scripture it is written that there shall 
be one law for the native and the stranger — one rule 
of justice — Lev. xxiv. 22. 4t Ye shall have one 
manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one 



* For this Petition, see Appendix, B. 



13 

of your own country : for I am the Lord your 
God." Which is in direct opposition to the law 
of Congress, and many of the laws in different^ 
states. A law was enacted in Maryland to make the 
oath of a slave valid against a free black, whereupon, 
a slave, by the influence of his master or others, 
might be induced to swear falsely, either to curry 
favour, or through prejudice to an individual, so 
that an honest free black may be put in prison, 
sold out for his fees to a southern trader, and be 
made a slave for term of life. This law was passed 
at the same session, when the Assembly would not 
afford them any relief in regard to the cruelties be- 
fore mentioned ; but they were at no loss to know 
how to oppress them. 

A distressing case soon took place : — " A man 
near the Bald-friar ferry in that state, who was pre- 
judiced against one David M'Kim, a mulatto man, 
brought forward a black lad, a slave, to swear that 
M'Kim had persuaded him to poison *he family ; 
in consequence the mulatto man was committed to 
jail in irons, where he lay, by the account I re- 
ceived, from the 5th of the 6th month until the 7th of 
the 8th month ; when the boy was brought to sub- 
stantiate the charges; but here truth prevailed ; al- 
though his dreaded master was along side of him, he 
could not be induced to perjure himself, and declared 
it was not true ; and that his master by threats had 
compelled him to swear falsely. The poor man of 
course was liberated; but says, the confinement has 
ruined him ; that he has been persecuted and pro- 



14 



secutcd." fct Thus," says the writer of the ac- 
count, " has perjury and subornation of perjury 
been resorted to, to injure him, without cause, and 
without reason ; — and though they uniformly fail- 
ed to destroy him totally, yet they have succeeded m 
reducing him to that situation, which would have 
entitled him to the commiseration of the humane, 
but alas ! he is not a white man." 

What kind of government must this be to admit 
of no remedy for such an enormous evil, towards 
a people, that, in fact, had been declared free, and 
had an unalienable right to life, liberty, and the 
pursuit of happiness ? Is it not to be feared that 
for w ant of impartial justice, its foundation is un- 
sound, and consequently cannot be permanent. — 
4C Do unto all men as ye would they should do 
unto you :"- — this is not only obligatory on us as 
individuals in our relation to each other, but re- 
mains to be the only sure basis of all good govern- 
ment ; for want of which, some governments have 
been crushed to pieces, and multitudes have lost 
their lives in the ruins. 

But to return :— The evidence of a free African 
or his descendants, will not, in Maryland, and some 
other states, be taken against a white man; although, 
as a rogue, he may thereby go unpunished ; and, in 
fact, many do so go unpunished. 

Many of the people of colour, who had fled to 
prevent their being sold to southern traders, have, 
by the authority of the fugitive law, been pursued, 
brought back, and sold to men of this description ; 



15 



and as Government had refused to afford them an J 
redress, to God only could they look for support. 
Thus this law is put in force against an unoffending 
helpless people, while of the fugitive for murder or 
theft, little or no notice is taken in some places. — 
So that the true spirit of judgment is turned back- 
ward. And as it is manifest that Congress sup- 
posed they had a right to make laws to oppress this 
description of the great family of mankind, which 
is apparent by the aforesaid law ; I apprehend there 
can be no doubt of their authority, if not in other 
places, at least in the district of Columbia, to pre- 
vent some of those evils this degraded part of our 
fellow -men are groaning under. And where could 
it begin better than at the seat of Government ? 

In some places, cognizance of murder is taken 
long after the perpetration. In the Court of King's 
Bench, in Great- Britain, the Governor of Goree, 
in Africa, for ordering a serjeant to be illegally 
whipped, which occasioned his death, was tried 
and executed, fifteen or twenty years afterwards . 
How have the coloured peoples' lives been sported 
with in some parts of the United States ! Num- 
bers have been whipped to death, and otherwise 
murdered, and little or no notice taken in a judicial 
capacity. It w 7 as reported from good authority, 
that a black man who was sold from near Snow- 
Hill, in Maryland, to a distant part of the conti- 
nent, returned back and lay out of doors ; being 
accused of stealing from the neighbours, was pur- 
sued, taken, and brought into the village one morn- 



16 



iiig, and there hung without judge or jury; of 
which no more notice was taken than if thev had 
hung a dog. Great are the oppressions and cru- 
elties still continued towards multitudes of this 
people who are kept in bondage, which are so no- 
torious that little need be said on the occasion ; vet 
it may not be improper to recite some few cases. 

It was a just observation of Thomas Jeiferson, 
" that the whole commerce between master and 
slave is one perpetual exercise of the most boister- 
ous passions on the one part; and degrading sub- 
mission on the other." Many instances have 
occurred, and some of a recent date, where the 
slaves have rather chosen death, than to remain in 
a state of bondage, liable to be separated from all 
that is dear to them. Some have plunged into the 
water, and drowned themselves ; others have cut 
their throats, as one man in Delaware county jail; 
another, on the pavement in Philadelphia, while the 
stage was waiting to take him on , it appearing by 
the public prints that a magistrate in Trenton had 
signed an order that he might be sent as a slave to 
the West- Indies. Others, in attempting to make 
their escape, have resorted to desperate means for 
effecting it. A number of this unhappy people 
were taken from the eastern shore of Maryland, by 
two of the southern traders, called Georgia men, 
Henry Spieres and Joshua Butts, who being con- 
cerned with the Treasurer of the state of Georgia, 
he furnished them out of the Treasury with eight 
or ten thousand dollars, to speculate on, but as they 



17 

were returning with their booty, through South* 
ampton county, in Virginia, they were extermi- 
nated by their prisoners ; who were afterwards ap- 
prehended, and several of them executed. A piece 
appeared in Poulson's paper, signed by Thomas 
Rowan, giving an account that on the 27th of Oc- 
tober, 1803, as James Howard and himself were 
going down the Ohio, with a company of this kind 
of merchandize, bound to the Natchez ; he says, 
" Unfortunately, some of the negro men meditated 
the sanguinary intention of killing us, as we were 
laying asleep ; and accordingly attempted to carry 
their object into execution ; one of them with an 
axe, and another with a loaded whip, terminated 
the life of the said Mr. Howard. I fortunately 
got overboard, received a stroke on my wrist, and 
swam ashore. The fellows were all caught, and 
committed to the jail of C ana w aha county, two of 
whom have received sentence of death,.... the others 
have been ordered to be hired out, and will be de- 
tained, until the friends of Mr. Howard come for- 
ward." And he adds, " As the conveyance of 
letters is uncertain, he deemed it most expedient 
to convey the melancholy intelligence through the 
medium of the newspapers." The human mind 
in its natural state is in all men subject to the like 
passions, and where grievous oppression exists, 
violent efforts for relief are excited : thus this hor- 
rid commerce is pregnant with the most dreadful 
circumstances, and when we consider that it is but 
little discouraged by the Government, our minds 

r> 



18 

are shocked at the painful reflection that distress and 
misery should be thus continued to the human spe- 
cies. What can be the feelings of those who carry- 
on this trade, both buyers and sellers, particularly 
those in office, who, holding the reins of govern- 
ment, should be 41 a terror to evil-doers, and a 
praise to them that do well ?" Is it not lamentable 
that a commerce which is productive of such mul- 
tiplied enormities should be permitted among a 

people professing faith in Christ ? 

It appears to those who are free from prejudice. 

that the sufferings of the blacks in some parts of the 
United States, have been as cruel as in any other 
part of the world, which is confirmed by the many 
barbarities under the acts of outlawry in the south- 
ern states ; some have been hunted with dogs, 

some wounded, and others killed When I was 

travelling through North Carolina, a black man 
who was outlawed, being shot by one of his pur- 
suers and left wounded in the woods, they came to 
an ordinary where I had stopped to feed my horse, 
in order to procure a cart to bring the poor wretch- 
ed object in. Another, I was credibly informed, 
was shot, his head cut off, and carried in a bag by 
the perpetrators of the murder, who received the 
reward, which was said to be two hundred dollars, 
continental currency, and that his head was stuck 
on a coal- house at an iron- works in Virginia ; and 
this for going to visit his wife at a distance. * Craw- 
ford gives an account of a man being gibbetted 

* See Appendix.. C 



19 



alive in South Carolina, and the buzzards came 
and picked out his eyes. Another was burnt to 
death at a stake in Charleston, surrounded by a 
multitude of spectators, some of whom were people 
of the first rank ;....the poor object was heard to cry 
as long as he could breathe, " not guilty, not 
guilty."... .One judge on the Eastern Shore of Ma- 
ryland sold thirteen of his slaves to a southern tra- 
der, among whom was a woman whose husband 
was sent to gather oysters while the wife was taken 
away ; when he returned and found his wife was 
gone, he expostulated with his master, querying, 
Xi Whether he had not been a faithful servant for 
upwards of twenty years :" and requested he might 
be sold to go after his wife, but was refused. A 
man by the name of Black, in Cedar-creek Neck, 
about the latter end of the 4th month, 1805, in the 
state of Delaware and county of Sussex, suspending 
a black lad, and tying three fence rails to his feet, 
by severe beating put an end to his existence ; and 
afterwards had him buried in the night. On dis- 
covery of the fact, the corpse was taken up, and by 
the coroner's inquest, he was found guilty of mur- 
der. And it further appeared that he had been the 
death of two such unhappy victims before, which 
were secreted, and what makes it the more lament- 
able, the lad, it appeared, was innocent of the 
crime he was charged with, which was taking 
leather for a pair of shoe soals, which Black's 
son afterwards acknowledged, he had taken ; Black 
made his escape, and a reward was oxtered for his 



20 



being- taken up, so that he might be brought to 
trial. 

From a recent account published in the Ameri- 
can Daily Advertiser, by a person who had taken 
a tour along the Eastern Shore of Maryland, it ap- 
pears, that from that side of the Bay only, there 
were not less than six hundred blacks carried off 
in six months, by the Georgia men, or southern 
traders. In the state of Maryland, there is the 
greatest market, or inland trade in the human spe- 
cies of any part of the United States. Some of 
the agents for those southern traders are so hardy 
as to publish by advertisement their readiness 
to procure this kind of cargo, which they effect 
in various ways ; frequently by purchases, made 
so secretly, that the poor blacks, when perhaps 
engaged at their meals, or occupied in some do- 
mestic concerns, not having the least intimation of 
the design, are suddenly seized, bound, and car- 
ried off, either to some place provided for the pur- 
pose, or immediately on board the vessels : and 
many others are obtained by kidnapping, until the 
whole supply is completed. A man of the name 
of Swan, in Easton, who was concerned in this ne- 
farious business, was detected and sent to jail, and 
on searching his house, two children were found 
secreted in an upper room : he used to keep these 
poor objects locked and chained, until his colleagues 
came and took them away, some by land, and 
others by water ; such as passed through Balti- 
more frequently had their number enlarged out of 



21 



the jail, where (by countenance of men in authori- 
ty, as before observed) they were lodged till such 
time a? diey could be conveyed away. These men- 
stealers, though far worse than high- way robbers, 
are seldom made to suffer what a due administra- 
tion of the law would justly inflict one of them 
being spoken to on account of his engaging in this 
horrid traffic, confessed, that 44 if he were to give 
conscience fair play, he should not do it." I have 
heard some men, in eminent stations say, " the 
country must be thinned of these people, they must 
be got rid of at any rate. Some from embarrassed 
circumstances, have made sale of those wretched 
objects, who being fallen upon at unawares, hand- 
cuffed, and sent off, has struck such terror in other 
slaves, who would otherwise have remained with 
their masters, that they have taken flight in order 
to an escape ; a man and his wife on the Eastern 
Shore of Maryland being thus circumstanced, fled, 
and under such alarm, it was said she had even left 
her sucking child. After they were taken, I met 
with them, coupled together in irons, and drove 
along the road like brute beasts, by two rough un- 
feeling men. About sixty of these poor men, wo- 
men, &c. were lately driven through Pennsylvania, 
and not only the males, but the females were so 
iron bound, that it was with great difficulty the lat- 
ter could clothe and feed their children. 

Two persons who were travelling through the 
southern states in the autumn of 1803, as they 
passed through North Carolina, stopt at Charlotte- 



ville, and put up at the widow Mason's ordinary, 
where they saw a coffin making ; and on inquiry 
k appeared that the widow's son, after threatening 
a black man, threw a stone and broke his scull, 
which in a few days occasioned his death, his 
weeping widow and several children being left to 
deplore his loss : but as he was black, it seem- 
ed as though little notice would be taken of it. 
This youth appears to have been such an one as is 
described in Jefferson's Notes, who had " caught 
lineaments of wrath, and had given a loose to his 
worst of passions ; and thus nursed, educated, and 
daily exercised in tyranny, could not but be stamp- 
ed with odious peculiarities." As these travellers 
were passing through Virginia, near Amherst 
court-house, they were informed by a black wo- 
man, with tears in her eyes, that a beloved brother, 
about two weeks before, had been so barbarously 
whipped by an overseer, that he died two days after- 
correction. 

I cannot but remember my feelings when laying 
in Carlisle Bay, at Barbadoes, in 1784, on seeing a 
Guinea-ship whose decks were covered with slaves; 
the grown persons on the main deck, and the 
younger ones on the quarter, which was enough to 
make a feeling heart shudder ; and I was ready to 
exclaim, How could I possibly bear to see one of 
my children in this situation ? And yet in this 
land of boasted liberty, there are numerous in- 
stances of masters selling and separating the near- 
est connections, as before hinted. When I was in 



23 

Maryland, one who professed himself to be a mi- 
nister of the gospel, sold some children from their 
parents, never likely to meet again while in time. 

It has been asked, What can be said in favour 
of emancipation, when so many that are free are 
crouded into jail for their dishonesty, &c. ? I am 
not disposed to countenance wrong things, but 
they may plead the examples of the whites..,. 

That disposition to theft which they have been 
branded with, must be ascribed to their situation, 
and not to any depravity of the moral sense. The 
man in whose favour no laws of property exist, 
probably feels himself less bound to respect those 
made in favour of others. When arguing for our- 
selves, we lay it down as a fundamental, that 6 laws 
to be just, must give a reciprocation of right".... 
that without this, they are mere arbitrary rules of 
conduct, founded in force, and not in conscience : 
and it is a problem which I give to the master to 
solve, whether the religious precepts against the 
violation of property, were not framed for him as 
well as his slave ; and whether the slave may not as 
justifiably take a little from one who has taken all 
from him, as he may slay one who would slay him ; 
that a change in relation, in which a man is placed, 
should change his ideas of moral right or wrong, is 
neither new nor peculiar to the colour of the 
blacks. Homer tells us it was so upwards of two 
thousand six hundred vears a 2:0.... 

" Jove fix'd it certain, that whatever day- 
Makes man a slave, takes half his worth away." 

Jefferson's Notes, page 153. 



24 



It is necessary to make great allowances for the 
poor blacks, considering their education and condi- 
tion. It may, therefore, well be accounted for, why 
the Indians' mental capacities appear stronger than 
theirs. The Indians have never had their spirits 
broken down by hard labour and oppression as the 
injured Africans, under severe task-masters ; so 
that it may be justly concluded, the great Author 
of mans' existence is as liberal in bestowing talents 
on them as those of other nations. Many instances 
might be adduced in support of this conclusion. 

I am happy to have it to mention that there is now 
an increasing care extended for a guarded educa- 
tion of the coloured people, and to the credit of 
many of the humane and benevolent citizens of 
Philadelphia, there are no less than eight or ten 
schools kept up in the city for the instruction 
of this class of mankind, where there is upwards 
of five hundred instructed daily, which bids fair 
io qualify and fit many of them to become as useful 
members of the community as those of a different 
complexion, who now unjustly hold them in cap- 
tivity, and claim them as property. And however 
this claim might have been allowable, in the days 
of our forefathers, which may be said to have been 
a time of ignorance, and therefore winked at ; such 
who believe that God is just, and that his justice 
cannot sleep for ever, can have no solid grounds to 
hope for the long continuance of his blessing on a 
government which neglects or refuses its duty in 
respect to these people. 



25 

Would it not be of more importance to devise 
means for the removal of a national evil, of so much 
magnitude, and on which the welfare of the United 
States so much depends, than the acquisition of un- 
bounded territory ? Perhaps some who have been 
accustomed to live in pride, idleness, and luxury, 
may plead necessity on account of the climate not 
suiting their constitutions ; but a thing radically 
wrong, will not admit of such fig-leaf coverings. 
My object is the good of my countrymen, as well 
the master, as the slave. I am no partizan ; and 
they who know me best will subscribe to the truth 
of this assertion. I do most assuredly believe, 
that the withholding from this oppressed part of 
the community their just rights, without suitable 
provision being made for their redemption, will 
draw down Divine displeasure. I hope no one 
will take offence at my plain manner of treating the 
subject ;....it has been weightily upon my mind for 
a series of years : and when we look round and be- 
hold the state of things, both in Europe and Ame- 
rica, it evidently appears, that the judgments of 
the Most High are in the earth ;....may the inhabit- 
ants of the world learn righteousness ! War, pes- 
tilence, and famine, have been experienced in many 
places. The Britons and the French, with other 
European nations are in great agitation and tumult; 
and it would be wisdom to consider that trouble 
does not spring out of the ground, neither does the 
Almighty aiSict his people willingly : most, if not 
all, of these nations, have been engaged in this most 

E 



26 



iniquitous commerce ; and more fully to accom- 
plish their designs, have furnished the people of 
Africa, of different nations, with arms and ammu- 
nition, to wage war with each other, to captivate 
and make prisoners of their own brethren, to pro- 
cure cargoes of slaves for the high professors of the 
Christian religion. It is an unchangeable truth, 
as it is meted out to others, it is, or will be, 
meted back again. In the course of the American 
revolution, this was fulfilled to a tittle. Britons 
and Americans, heretofore united in ravaging the 
coast of Africa, were then engaged in killing each 
other, crowding their captives into jails and prison- 
ships, so as to bring many into cruel sufferings, 
and to an untimely death. They carried the mat- 
ter so far, to the southward in the United States, as 
to buy and sell each other, such w 7 as the enmity 
that took place between- those denominated whig 
and tory. When they were about to make up 
their companies for actual service, it was said that 
some who endeavoured to keep out of the way, 
were taken and sold to make up deficiencesc Some 
who were accounted.- inimical to the cause being 
forced into tkc -l nrmy , were brought from South 
Carolina, by the way of Lancaster, to Philadelphia, 
where I saw them bemoaning their situation;.... 
some of the representatives from that state in Con- 
gress kindly interfering, they were suffered to re- 
turn home. 

If an Israelite's servant would not leave his 
master's service, his ear was to be bored through, 



and he might be retained in bondage. And it is 
now said by some of our slave-holders, " My ne- 
groes will not leave me:" let such remain; but 
treat them as fellow-men providentially placed un- 
der your care ; and shew yourselves faithful guar- 
dians by giving them a Christian education, and 
providing them with a sufficiency of the comforts 
of life ; then the master and the servant may be 
mutually helpful to each other. I believe that now, 
as formerly, there are to be servants as well as mas- 
ters, but, alas ! how contrary to such Christian 
treatment, is the conduct of multitudes of slave- 
holders ! They allow them but one peck of meal 
for a whole week, in some of the southern states..... 
How despotically are they ruled !.... Instead of re- 
ceiving kind and gentle treatment, they are sub* 
jected to cruelty and oppression, by masters, mis- 
tresses, and hard-hearted overseers. It is shock- 
ing to the feelings of humanity , in travelling through 
some of those states, to see these poor objects, 
especially in the inclement season, in rags, and 
trembling with the cold ; yet some of these task- 
masters will say, they treat their slaves well : cus- 
tom may have reconciled it to them, but it strikes 
the feeling minds of strangers with astonishment 
and disgust. A chief of the Seneca Indians, who 
had been at the seat of Government, and beheld 
the oppression these people laboured under, after- 
wards inquired whether the Quakers kept slaves ; 
on being informed they did not, he expressed great 
satisfaction : mentioned he had been at the city of 
Washington, and found many white people kept 



28 

blacks in slavery, and used them no better than 
horses. That pious man, Richard Baxter, treat- 
ing on the subject, says, that u it is enough to 
make the heathen hate Christianity," which was 
verified by a late well-authenticated fact : Several 
missionaries being sent out professedly to propa- 
gate the gospel among the Aborigines of the wil- 
derness, on informing them of their mission, the 
Indians held council for upwards of ten days ; and 
at length advised them to return home.... that the 
white people made slaves of the black people, and 
if hey had it in their power, they would make 
slaves of the Indians ; they therefore wanted no 
such religion. 

From whence come wars and fightings ? From 
lust : From whence comes slavery ? From pride 
and avarice, links of the same chain. Where sla- 
very abounds, tyranny, irreligion, and dissipation 
superabound ; as appears by the account of the 
horse-racing, &x. near the seat of Government, al- 
ready noticed. A similar exhibition of horse- 
racing, swearing drunkenness, gambling, Sec. was 
kept up at Fredericksburgh, in Virginia, by a large 
concourse of persons for several days ; and many 
other places have exhibitions of the like kind. 
How will such feel, at their closing moments, 
when they come to reflect on their woeful waste 
of precious time ; and that their follies were sup- 
ported in a great measure, by the labour and 
toil of their poor oppressed slaves. It appears 
that those things were formerly declared to be of- 



29 

tensive in the sight of Heaven. Jer. xxii. 13. ' * Woe 
unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteous- 
ness, and his chambers by wrong ; that useth his 
neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him 
not for his work." Yet some of those plead 
scripture for slave- holding : it is to be hoped they 
will pay some regard to those passages which for- 
bid injustice and oppression. How have thou- 
sands and tens of thousands of these people's lives 
been worn out, and wasted, and for what purpose ? 
To support pride and idleness, which still con- 
tinues ; and which has already terminated in the 
ruin of multitudes of the offspring of these oppres- 
sors ; agreeably to sacred writ...." Jerusalem is 
ruined, and Judah is fallen ; because of their tongues 
and their doings-" Behold, where this abomina- 
ble iniquity abounds, what cursing, swearing, and 
taking the sacred name in vain ! Even the lands are 
left barren. It is mournful to behold, in riding 
along in some places, the soil worn out, the timber 
destroyed, the fences broken down, the orchards in 
a manner become fruitless, the houses shattered 
and ready to fall to pieces, for a considerable extent 
of country, the poor brute languishing for want of 
food, and shelter from the storm. So that it may 
be justly said now as formerly, that the land is made 
barren, by the wickedness of those that dwell 
therein ; Psal. cvii. 34. I am not insensible of my 
exposure to the censure of those that shut their 
eyes that they will not see, and stop their ears that 
they will not hear, &c. lest they should be convert- 



30 

ed : but I appeal to the more serious and consider- 
ate, if these things arc not so. 

The Constitut on of the United States is the 
fundamental law ; the principles of which ought to 
pervade the whole system of legal operation. The 
leading features of the Constitution are set forth 
in the Declaration of Congress, July 4th, 1776, 
as before noticed.... 4 4 We hold these truths to be 
self-evident, that all men are created equal," &c. 
and in the Constitutions of the several states are 
paragraphs nearly similar. Let it then be remem- 
bered how emphatically the prophet reminds the 
Israelites of their covenant, and the awful de- 
nunciation of Divine judgment, on account of their 
not keeping it, Jer. xxxiv. 10. <c Now when all 
the princes, and all the people, which had entered 
into the covenant, heard that every one should let 
his man servant, and every one his maid servant 
go free, that none should serve themselves of 
them any more, then they obeyed and let them 
go. But afterwards they turned, and caused the 
servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go 
free, to return, and brought them into subjection, 
for servants and for handmaids. Therefore the word 
of the Lord came to Jeremiah, from the Lord, say- 
ing, Ye were now turned, and had done right in my 
sight, in proclaiming liberty, every man to his 
neighbour : but ye turned and polluted my name, 
and caused every man his servant and his handmaid 
to return, and brought them into subjection, &c* 

* See Appendix, B. 



Therefore thus saith the Lord, ye have not heark^ 
cned unto me.... Behold, 1 proclaim a liberty for 
you to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the fa- 
mine." It may not be improper to revive the 
statutes given by the Almighty to the Israelites, 

Deut. xxiii. 15, 16. 

May the Congress, the grand inquest of the 
United States, exert every nerve to extend the 
blessings of liberty to peoplt of all descriptions and 
complexions ; and may the state legislatures do 
the same. I call upon the executive departments 
of Government, to protect all kinds of people in 
their natural and civil rights. ...and all those who 
hold slaves, to consider what right they have to 
keep them in slavery. Sure I am, there is no just 
law to support it ; it is against the essence of the 
Constitution, and very contrary to the nature and 
spirit of Christianity. 

It was praise- worthy in the General Legislature 
to pass a law prohibiting our citizens supplying 
foreign nations with slaves from Africa : but it 
remains to be lamented that a wide door continues 
open for carrying on the internal trade, before 
noticed, which I apprehend might be stopped by 
the different legislatures passing laws prohibiting 
the transportation of this people through their re- 
spective states, which is still the case, particularly 
to the southward. Which the rulers in those 
parts will do well to consider, lest their country 
being filled with slaves, may be a means of fillinp; 



32 

their cup with iniquity ; and their destruction 
cor e upon them like an armed man. 

'J he 6th Article of the Constitution says, " All 
debts contracted and engagements entered into be- 
fore tne adoption of the Constitution, shall be as 
valid against the United States under this Constitu- 
tion, as under the Confederatipn ;" and by the 
declaration of the Conk -deration, on a fair con- 
struction, the people of colour are declared to h$ 
free; and although the 11th section of the Con- 
stitution says, u No person held to service or labour 
in one state under the laws thereof, escar/ing into 
another, shall, in consequence of any law or regu- 
lation therein, be discharged from such service or 
labour, but shall be delivereu up on the claim of the 
party to whom such service or labour may be due." 
Yet can any labour or service be due from a person 
deprived of his natural right ? especially when he 
has arrived to man's estate, and tc has reaped down 
the fields of his claimer without wages, which is 
by him kept back by fraud," as set forth by the 
apostle James. 

Can there be any greater inconsistency or ab- 
surdity, after the declaration, that " all men have 
an unalienable right to liberty, &c." than that such 
an unjust construction should be put upon the 
aforesaid section, as is done by the fugitive law ? 
when in justice there is a balance in favour of the 
poor fugitive who has escaped. There being no 
expression respecting the colour of the skin, was 
it not evident by the ambiguous terms used, that 



33 

such incompatibility with the repeated avowal of 
the natural rights of men would strike every ob- 
server as a direct violation of the principle on which 
the whole is founded ? Will not the cries of this 
deeply afflicted people reach the ears of the Lord of 
Sabbaoth, O ye men who set up a claim to a fel- 
low-mortal ? What will it do for you in the day of 
retribution, when the servant shall be free from his 
master ; and both shall appear before an impartial 
Judge, who is no respecter of persons ? 

Is it not astonishing that after so many applica- 
tions to the different state legislatures, as well as to 
Congress, so little should be done in favour of this 
people, who are held in captivity contrary to every 
principle of justice and equity ? Call to remem- 
brance, I entreat you, O ye men in office ! the 
many changes and revolutions which have taken 
place in times past, and which were very much out 
of view till they came to the threshold of the door. 
Remember how T it fared with Oliver Cromwell, 
who, after he had risen to be Lord Protector, and 
had got the government, as he thought, establish- 
ed, who had declared that if he did not support li- 
berty, even that liberty which had occasioned many 
to leave the land of their nativity, and seek an asy- 
lum in a vast howling wilderness, to enjoy the in- 
estimable blessing of liberty of conscience (to be 
deprived of which, or the liberty of the body, is a 
reproach to the rulers of any country) he would 
sooner be willing to be roiled into his grave and 
buried with infamy, than give his consent to the 



m 

throwing away of that government, so testified unt& 
in the fundamentals of it. What can have been 
more strongly testified of, than liberty to all men by 
the niters of the United States? How did it resound 
from one end of the continent to the other ? See 
how it fared with Cromwell after he had warped 
from justice and true judgment what he had 
imprecated upon himself, w T as, in effect, fulfilled. 

Many instances might be recited out of history, 
both sacred and profane, to shew how many, who 
filled the most dignified stations in life, were let 
down, even into disgrace, when they departed from 
justice and true judgment, so as to forget the day 
of covenant-making ; which it is to be feared is the. 
case with many in our land in the present day. 
How has the conduct of the people in many places 
contradicted their professions in that humiliating 
season when every species of dissipation was con- 
demned and reprobated : but behold them return- 
ing, like the swine to wallowing in the filth of pol- 
lution ; the same wicked practices, which, in that 
day were declared against, have since been aggra- 
vated by a rapid increase, to the great grief of 
many of the sober inhabitants of the different reli- 
gious denominations in the United States. 

As the agitated state of Europe has been before 
touched on, it may not be improper again to advert 
thereto. In England, several persons of rank and 
eminent talents exerting their pens in advocatingthe 
cause of humanity, the feelings of the people in vari- 
ous parts were so affected, that upwards of five hun- 



35 

dred petitions were presented to the Parliament for 
suppression of the African Slave-trade ; but from 
mistaken policy they declined complying- with this 
reasonable request, so obviously founded upon the 
principles and doctrines of Christianity, and lest it 
should diminish the revenue, chose rather to con- 
tinue a commerce that disgraces the -Government 
with lasting infamy. Whenever individuals or a 
people pursue that which is clearly manifest to be 
evil, the fruit is bitter indeed. It is remarkable,, 
that the troubles and difficulties which have come 
upon that country have been almost unremitted : 
war, with its train of miseries and woes has for 
many years prevailed, and the nation plunged into 
perplexity and vast expense : being accounted the 
most powerful by sea,, if not by land, she has taken 
the lead of ail others in enslaving the poor Africans 
that never injured her. But is not her present 
situation lamentable ? May she not be addressed in 
the language of the prophet to a great people for- 
merly, " The Lord is slow to anger, and great in 
power, and will not at all acquit the wicked ; the 
Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the 
storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet ; the 
Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble, 
and he knoweth them that trust in him ; 5 '.. .mark 
what follows " Art thou better than populous 
No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the 
waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, 
and her wall was from the sea? Ethiopia and Egypt 
were her strength, and it was infinite ; Put and 



36 



Lubim were thy helpers, yet she was carried away, 
she went into captivity." Read also the twenty- 
eighth chapter of Ezekiel, of the judgments de- 
nounced against the Prince of Tyrus ; that which 
was written aforetime was for the instruction, cau- 
tion, and warning of future generations, and I am 
concerned to revive them, that others' harms may 
be a warning. 

Let the Government of the United States profit 
by the awful examples which are held up to our 
view ;....here the spark of liberty hath kindled and 
glowed, its fervour hath in pathetic language been 
spread from the east to the westermost parts of her 
borders,* and though at present many may fondly 
indulge themselves with pleasing prospects that she 
shall sit as a queen, and see no sorrow, yet trouble, 
w T hich springs not out of the ground, may soon 
overtake us. Upwards of seven hundred thousand 
of this people remain among us in unconditional 
bondage : this indescribable iniquity, with many 
others that are of less magnitude, may with pro- 
priety awaken our apprehensions, that the Divine 
displeasure will be certainly manifested for our cor- 
rection in chastisements, heavier than we have hither- 
to experienced. Though it may be said the time is 
short till the year 1808, when more full justice may 
be done this people, remember that the delay of 
justice is injustice. As great men are some- 
times suddenly removed, and others put in their 
places, those who are at present in conspicuous 

* See Appendix. 



37 



stations, if they neglect the work of their day, may 
not in that period have it in their power to effect 
it. 

How was it in the case of the great king Bel- 
shazzar ? Being well acquainted with the solemn 
events of the preceding reign, the prophet tells him, 
" Thou hast not humbled thine heart, though thou 
knowest all this ; and the God in whose hand thy 
breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not 
glorified." At an unexpected hour he was alarmed 
by the hand-writing on the plaster of the wall; and 
was informed that he was weighed in the balance, 
and found wanting : and I verily believe the like 
inscription will be written on the table of the hearts 
of some in authority, to their astonishment, if they 
continue to depart from their covenants, and sport 
themselves with their own deceivings ; notwith- 
standing they may be glossed over, and covered 
w r ith the soft but false appellation of innocent 
amusements. Call nothing innocent that the con- 
troversy of Heaven is against; which was considered 
to be the case with vain pastimes, when the cove- 
nant, before hinted at, was signed, sealed, and con- 
firmed, by the voice of the people of the United States. 
Is there not reason to believe, that the language ut- 
tered by the apostle James is applicable in the present 
day, who, as a faithful watchman, exclaims, by way of 
warning, "Behold the hire of the labourers who have 
reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back 
by fraud, crieth, and the cries of them which have 
reaped, are entered into the ears of the Lord of 



33 

Sabbaoth ; ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, 

and been wanton, ye have condemned and killed 
the just, and he doth not resist you." Let me, 
my countrymen, once more request you to ob- 
serve the signs of the times, which are gloomy. 
If I am not mistaken, a dark cloud now hangs 
over this nation, which, I believe, nothing short 
of what removed the impending judgment which 
awaited the inhabitants of Nineveh, will avert. 
There the judgment was removed by repentance; 
and because there were so many score thousands 
of the inhabitants which knew not their right- 
hand from their left, besides much cattle. O the 
boundless condescension of the Creator of the ends 
of the earth ! We see in times of calamity how the 
brute creation suffers, which drew the compassion 
of the Almighty toward not only man, but beast, 
which are made to suffer in times of distress, whe- 
ther it be by w r ar, pestilence, or famine. Surely 
these things are not cunningly devised fables 
there is a cloud of witnesses to the truth of the 
dealings of an over-ruling Providence, both of 
his judgments and mercies : he is long-suffering, 
and waits to be gracious ; he will not condemn the 
innocent, neither acquit the guilty, without sincere 
repentance and amendment of life. We see that 
many are the abominations which draw down Di- 
vine displeasure, and bring judgments on lands and 
on individuals, but nothing appears to me equal, nor 
fraught with so many evils, as enslaving our fellow- 
men. 



39 



It has been some consolation to the feeling mind 
that every state in the Union had past laws to pre- 
vent the importation of slaves from abroad ; but 
of late South Carolina has opened her ports for their 
admittance, and thousands have been landed there 
in one year ; which appears to have been marked 
with the displeasure of die Most High, if floods, 
storms, and tempests, the loss of men's lives, of 
shipping, crops of corn, cotton, stock, and other 
property to an immense amount, so that man and 
beast are reduced for want of sustenance, may be 
called judgments. Pharaoh refused to let Israel 
go, after he had assented, till one judgment was 
sent after another, and by an out- stretched arm 
they were at length delivered. Congress may, after 
the year 1808, pass laws to prohibit importation 
or migration, but is it expected they will then be 
vested with more authority than they now have to 
redress the grievances of those already imported ? 

It seems as though it were permitted for open- 
ing the eyes of this nation, that so large a num- 
ber of its inhabitants should be taken and carried 
into bondage, and placed in a like situation, sepa- 
rated from their most endeared connections ; which 
appears more allowable in a people accounted bar- 
barians, than in a nation professing the sacred name 
of Christ : and let it be remembered they come not 
on the American coasts to make slaves, as many of 
our citizens go upon that of Africa, for that nefarious 
purpose, and bring them here by force against their 
will, to the reproach of a free and enlightened people. 



40 

If so large a sum of money has been thought 
necessar) to redeem our American brethren from 
the captivity of the Tripolitans, is it not expedient 
that a bum bhould be raised toward the colonization 
of the African race, who are held in captivity at 
home in the United States.* fc ' When a man's 
ways please the Lord, he caubeth even his enemies 
to be at peace with him, and he can also turn the 
hearth ( f the rebellious to the wisdom of the just." 
The signs of the times are serious; so that it may 
be justly said, the Lord's voice is heard in both 
city and country ; and O that men would be wise, 
and u hear the rod, and him who hath appointed 
it." 

About the beginning of the war between Great 
Britain and America, as before hinted, the rights 
of men were investigated ; till then it seemed more 
tolerable to hold the Africans in bondage ; and not- 
withstanding the proclamation then went forth that 
all men have an unalienable right to liberty, yet 
this unoffending people are still kept in slavery, 
without the necessary provisions being made to 
break the yoke of oppression, by fixing some pe- 
riod, after w hich there should be no more slaves 
horn in the United States. On this desirable ob- 
ject the happiness of this people, and the safety and 
welfare of this country, I believe, very much de- 
pends ; and notwithstanding this is so, yet the 
many applications of the humane and lovers of their 

• Would rot a measure of this sort make them friends instead of 

enemies ? 



41 



country, have been rejected, or bad but partial 
Success. 

Though this very important subject remains 
much unattended to, and is often treated with in- 
differency, yet it is the generally received opinion, 
that the day is hastening when this people will be- 
come free ; and it is desirable it should be with 
the consent of those who have authority over 
them. 

It has been frequently asked, " How can the 
United States get rid of slavery ?" This is an im- 
portant question. The immediate liberation of all 
the slaves, may be attended with some difficulty ; 
but surely something towards it may now be done. 
In the first place, let the President's plan, in- 
serted in his Notes on Virginia be adopted, fixing 
a period after which none should be born slaves 
in the United States ; and the coloured children to 
be free at a certain age. 

This would tend to quiet the minds of the aged, 
affording the consoling prospect that their offspring 
in a future day will enjoy the blessings of liberty ; 
and let no legal barrier remain to prevent indi- 
viduals freeing their slaves at pleasure ; and thus, 
in due time, a gradual emancipation w^ould take 
place, and be fully completed. 

The Spanish mode for the gradual abolition of 
slavery, is praise-worthy. They are registered in 
a book provided for the purpose, and one day in 
each week allowed them as their own : when they 
have earned a stipulated sum, another day in the 



m 

week is added; thus going on, they have opportu- 
nity of acquiring as much as will purchase their en- 
tire freedom ; which, at the same time that it ac- 
complishes the desired end, inures them to habits of 
industry, and prompts to commendable economy. 

An objection to emancipation and colonization 
has been stated upon a supposition that it would 
introduce a mixture of blood ; but let the expe- 
rience of many ages be consulted, and it will appear 
that this plea has very little weight in it. Mulat- 
toes are generally born of black females, who being 
held under the absolute authority of their masters, 
owners, or overseers, are compelled to submit to 
their lusts, in violation of their chastity, without 
daring to resist or complain ; and the law which is 
designed for the protection of innocence and redress 
of wrongs, affords them neither security nor reme- 
dy : the offspring, partaking of the colour of each , 
designates this debasing sinful conduct. 

Some of high rank, professing great delicacy ? 
treat the idea of such connection with abhorrence ; 
but it is remarked they have been first in the trans- 
gression. It is rare to see black men with white 
wives, and when such instances occur, those men 
are generally of the lowest class, and despised by 
their own people ; for, Divine Providence, as if in 
order to perpetuate the distinction of colour, has 
not only placed those different nations at great dis- 
tances from each other, but a natural aversion and 
disgust seems to be implanted in the breast of 
each. Captain Philip Beavor, in his African me- 



48 

moranda, relates, that one of the white women of 
the company of adventurers to the island of Bula- 
ma, being taken captive by the natives, no viola- 
tion of her chastity was offered, owing, probably, 
to the extreme antipathy they have to a white skin, 
which they fully evidenced on several occasions. 
I have not the least doubt, the blacks have as full 
conviction that it is as great an evil for them to 
blend their colour with the whites, as we believe it 
is to mix with them. 

When colonized, enjoying liberty and the rights 
of citizenship, the possession of property and at- 
tachment to domestic happiness, would no doubt 
be greatly enhanced ; the change of situation would 
inspire them with more exalted sentiments of vir- 
tue and honour than has hitherto appeared in their 
degraded state ; and I believe that instead of pro- 
moting those unnatural connexions, it would be in 
a good degree effectual to preserve the distinctions 
of nation and colour. 

Havenot the General Legislature a right to instruct 
a committee to assign a tract within some part of 
the western wilderness / where there are millions of 
acres likely to continue many ages unoccupied) for 
the colonization of those who are already free, and 
disposed to remove thither ? And if from one to 
two hundred acres were set off to each family, ac- 
cording to their number and- strength, it would be 
an inducement to others, as they became free, to re- 
pair to the colony ; and no doubt many persons of 
humanity, who continue to hold slaves, would be 



44 

willing to liberate them on condition of their so 
removing : indeed, I believe, there are numbers 
who would gladly embrace the opportunity, from a 
consciousness that they have no inherent right in 
them ; who probably find that the profits arising 
from their labour are not adequate to the expense 
of feeding and clothing them in a reputable man- 
ner, or how could they suffer them, both male and 
female, to go without clothing at the age of ten or 
twelve years ? To prevent their own children being 
nursed and educated in habits of tyranny, might 
prove an inducement to others. And some who 
may not at first see their way clear to follow the 
example, might do so at a future period. Thus 
an object of the greatest magnitude that perhaps 
has ever agitated the councils of any government, 
would be gradually accomplished within our own ter- 
ritory, and I believe that equity and impartial liberty 
being adhered to, and a friendly intercourse with 
them maintained, Divine Providence would with a 
propitious eye regard those measures, cause mu- 
tual advantages to spring therefrom, and make each 
class a blessing to the other. This dreadful evil 
would then be exterminated, the land and the in- 
habitants thereof be delivered from the bondage 
under which it groans, and the nation enjoy that 
sabbath which i=> prepared for all those who do 
justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with their 
God. 



APPENDIX. 



A. 

THE Constitution of the United States is the funda- 
mental law, the principles of which, ought to pervade the 
whole system or legal operation. 

The leading features of this Constitution are well ex- 
pressed in the Declaration of Congress, July 4th, 1774. 
" We hold these truths self-evident, that all men are cre- 
ated equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with 
certain unalienable rights, that among these are, life, 
libertv, and the pursuit of happiness." In the Constitu- 
tions of most of the states are similar paragraphs. 

New Hampshire.../' All men are born equally free and 
independant, and have certain natural, essential and in- 
herent rights, among which are the enjoving and defend- 
ing life and liberty and of seeking and obtaining happiness. 

Vermont...." Whereas, all government ought to be in- 
stituted and supported for the security and protection of 
the community as such, and to enable the individuals 
who compose it, to enjoy their natural rights and the 
other blessings, which the Author of our existence has 
bestowed upon man. All men are born equally free and 
independent and have certain natural inherent and un- 
alienable rights, amongst which are the enjoying and de- 
fending life and libertv ; acquiring, possessing / and pro- 
tecting property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness 
and safety; therefore, no male person born in this coun- 
try or brought from over sea, ought to be holden by law 
to serve any person as a servant, slave, or apprentice, af- 
ter he arrives to the age of twenty-one years ; nor female 
in like manner, after she arrives to the age of eighteen 
years, unless they are bound by their own consent, after 
they arrive to such an age, &c." 



4 b 



Massachusetts... ." All men are born free and equal, 
and have certain natural, essential, and unalienable rights, 
among which may be reckoned, the right of enjoying and 
defending their lives and liberties, that of acquiring and 
possessing and protecting property ; in fine, that of seek- 
ing and obtaining their safety and happiness." 

Pennsylvania, Article the 9th. ..." That the general, 
great and essential principles of liberty in a free govern- 
ment, may be recognized and unalterably established, 
We declare, that all men are born equally free and in- 
dependent, and have certain inherent and indefeasible 
rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending 
life and liberty, and of pursuing their own happiness. 

Delaware and Maryland.... 4 ' All government of right 
originates from the people : it is founded in compact only, 
and instituted solely for the good of the whole.'* 

North Carolina...." All political power is vested in, 
and derived from the people only." 

South Carolina, Article the 9th...." All power is origi- 
nally vested in the people, and all free governments are 
founded on their authority, and are instituted for their 
peace, safety, and happiness." 

Georgia...." All persons shall be entitled to the benefit 
of the writ of Habeas Corpus." (Note) " Every person 
held in slavery upon a writ of Habeas Corpus, ought to be 
discharged according to the Constitution of the United 
States." 

Tennessee.. ..The same as South Carolina, and further 
adds, " that the doctrine of non-resistance against an ar- 
bitrary power and oppression, is absurd, slavish, and de- 
structive to the good and happiness of mankind." The 
instructions of a committee to the Convention of Virginia, 
in framing their Constitution, in the 7th paragraph say, 
" that no part of man's property can be taken from him or 
applied to public use without his consent, or that of his 
legal representatives ; nor are the people bound by any 
laws but such as they have in like manner assented to for 
their common good." The negroes are people, and their 
right is in themselves. 

Seventeenth paragraph...." No free government, or the 
blessing of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by 
a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, fru- 
gality, and virtue, and by a frequent recurrence to funda- 
mental principles. v 



47 



Address of Congress to the Inhabitants of the C'ohntes, 

" In every case of opposition by a people to their rulers, 
*r of one state to another, duty to Almighty God, the 
Creator of all, requires, that a true and impartial judg- 
ment be formed of the measures leading to such opposi- 
tion ; and of the causes by which it has been provoked, 
or can in any degree be justified, that neither affection on 
the one hand, nor resentment on the other, being per- 
mitted to give a wrong bias to rtason, it may be enabled 
to take a dispassionate view of all circumstances, and to 
settle the public conduct on the solid foundations of wis- 
dom and justice. From counsels thus tempered arise the 
purest hopes of the divine favour, the firmest encourage- 
ment to the parties engaged, and the strongest recom- 
mendations of their cause to the rest of mankind, &c." 

Address to the Inhabitants of Canada, May 29, 1775. 

" When hardy attempts are made to deprive men of 
rights bestowed by the Almighty, when avenues are cut 
through the most solemn compacts for the admission of 
despotism." 

Address to the People of England, July 8, 1775. 

<{ Britains can never become the instruments of oppres- 
sion till they lose the spirit of freedom. 5 ' 

Address to Ireland, July 28, 1775. 

" Compelled to behold thousands of our countrymen 
imprisoned, and men, women, and children involved in 
promiscuous and unremitted misery, when we find all faith 
at an end, and sacred treaties turned into tricks of state ; 
when we perceive our friends and kinsmen massacred, 
our habitations plundered, our houses in flames." 

Declaration July 6 3 1775, of the Causes and Necessity of 
taking up Arms, 

" If it were possible for men who exercise their reason 
to believe, that the Divine Author of our existence in- 
tended a part of the human race to hold an absolute pro- 
perty in, and unbounded power over others, marked out 
by infinite goodness and wisdom as the objects of a legal 
domination, never rightfully resistable, however severe 
and oppressive j the inhabitants of these colonies might at 
least require from the Parliament of Great Britain, some 



48 



evidence that this dreadful authority over them has been 
gr tilted to that body.* 

lt But a reverence for our great Creator, principles of 
humanity and the dictates of common sense must con- 
vince all those who reflect upon the subject, that govern- 
ment was instituted to promote the welfare of mankind, 
and ought to be administered for the attainment of that 
end." 

Gracious goodness, how solemn ! And is it possible the 
rulers of the people should be so forgetful of what is con- 
tained in this Declaration? How applicable to the situa- 
tion of the African race, that are in a much more deplo- 
rable situation! O ye men in power, look back to the 
language of your predecessors in the days of distress ! If 
it was not thought possible for men who exercised their 
reason to believe that the Divine Author of man's exist- 
ence- intended part of the human race to hold an absolute 
property in, and unbounded power over others, how can 
you reconcile it in the present day? Was the treatment 
of the Britons s,o severe and oppressive towards the in- 
habitants of these colonies? Reverence for our great 
Creator, principles of humanity, and the dictates of com- 
mon sense, mu't ,onvince all those who reflect upon the 
subject, that government was instituted to promote the 
welfare of mankind, and ought to be administered for the 
attainment of that end. Then let it be administered on 
behalf of those captives who are gro ming in sore bondage. 
Most assured!} those degraded sons of Africa are man- 
kind, and have as just a right to look up to you for redress 
of grievances as 3 ou had to look up to the Parliament of 
Great Britain. 

And in the Declaration of Independence is inserted respect- 
ing the King as follows : 

" He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt 
our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. He is 
at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercena- 
ries to complete the works of death, desolation, and ty- 
ranny, already begun, with circumstances of cruelty and 
perfidy scarcely paralleled imthe most barbarous ages, 
and totally unworthy of the head of a civilized nation. 
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst U6." 

* So may the Africans say. 



49 



B. 

" To the President, Senate, and House df Representatives, 

" The Petition of the People of Colour, free men, 
within the City and Suburbs of Philadelphia, humbly 
shewetb, 

" That, thankful to God, our Creator, and to the Govern - 
ment under which we live, for the blessings and benefits 
granted to us in the enjoyment of our natural right to liberty, 
and the protection of our persons and property, from the 
oppression and violence which so great a number of like 
colour and national descent are subject to, we feel ourselves 
bound, from a sense of these blessings, to continue in our 
respective allotments, and to lead honest and -peaceable 
lives, rendering due submission unto the laws, and exciting 
and encouraging each other thereto, agreeable to the uni- 
form advice of our friends, of every denomination ; yet 
while we feel impressed with grateful sensations for the 
Providential favour we ourselves enjov, we cannot be in- 
sensible of the condition of our afflicted brethren, suffer- 
ing under various circumstances, in different parts of these 
states; but deeply sympathizing with them, are incited 
by a sen^fe of social duty, and humbly conceive ourselves 
authorized to address and petition you on their behalf, be- 
lieving them to be objects of your representation in your 
public councils, in common with ourselves and every 
other class of citizens within the j urisdiction of the United 
States, according to the design of the present Constitu- 
tion, formed by the General Convention, and ratified in 
the different states, as set forth in the preamble thereto 
in the following words, viz. ' We, the people of the 
United States, in order to form a more perfect union, 
establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for 
the common defence, andto secure the blessings df liberty 
to ourselves and posterity, do ordain, &c. 5 We appre- 
hend this solemn compact is violated, by a trade carried on 
in a clandestine manner, to the coast of Guinea, and ano- 
ther equally wicked, practised openly by citizens of some 
of the southern states, upon the waters of Maryland and 
Delaware ; men sufficiently callous to qualify them for the 
brutal purpose, are employed in kidnapping those of our 
brethren that are free, and purchasing others of such as 
claim a property in them : thus, those poor helpless vie- 



50 



i i ms, like droves of cattle, are seized, fettered, and hurried 
into places provided for this most horrid traffic, such as 
dark cellars and garrets, as is notorious at Northwest-fork, 
Chestertown, Eastown, and divers other places. Af- 
ter a sufficient number is obtained, they are forced on 
board vessels, crouded under hatches, without the least 
commiseration, left to deplore the sad separation of the 
dearest ties in nature, husband from wife, and parents 
from children ; thus packed together, they are transported 
to Georgia and other places, and there inhumanly exposed 
to sale. Can any commerce, trade, or transaction, so de- 
testably shock the feeling of man, or degrade the dignity 
of his nature equal to this I And how increasingly is the 
evil aggravated, when practised in a land high in profes- 
sion of the benign doctrines of our Blessed Lord, who 
taught his followers to do unto others as they would they 
should do unto them. Your petitioners desire not to en- 
large, though volumes might be filled with the sufferings 
of this grossly abused part of the human species, seven 
hundred thousand of whom, it is said, are now in uncon- 
ditional bondage in these states : but conscious of the rec- 
titude of our motives in a concern so nearly affecting us, 
and so effectually interesting to the welfare of this coun- 
try, we cannot but address you as guardians of our rights, 
and patrons of equal and national liberties, homing you 
will view the subject in an impartial, unprejudiced light. 
We do not ask for an immediate emancipation of all, 
knowing that the degraded state of many, and their want 
of education, would greatly disqualify for such a change ; 
vet, humbly desire you may exert every means in your 
power to undo the heavy burdens, and prepare the way 
lor the oppressed to go free, that every )oke may be 
broken. The law not long since enacted by Congress, 
called the Fugitive Bill, is in its execution found to be 
attended with circumstances peculiarly bard and distress- 
ing ; for many of our afflicted brethren, in order to avoid 
the barbarities wantonly exercised upon them, or through 
fear of being carried off by those men-stealers, being 
forced to seek refuge by flight, they are then, by armed 
men, under colour of this law, cruelly treated, or brought 
back in chains to those that have no claim upon them. In 
the Constitution and the Fugitive Bill, no mention is made 
of black people, or slaves ; therefore, if the Bill of Rights, 
or the Declaration of Congress are of any validity, we 
beseech, that as we are men, we may be admitted to par- 



51 



take of the liberties and unalienable rights therein held 
forth; firmly believing that the extending of justice and 
equity to all classes, would be a means of drawing down 
the blessing of Heaven upon this land, for the peace and 
prosperity of which, and the real happiness of every mem- 
ber of the community, we fervently pray. Philadelphia, 
30th of December, 1799." Absalom Jones and others, 
73 subscribers. 

The following letter from fames Forten, as it is known to 
be genuine i and taken from the author's own hand- 
writing, may properly follow, and serve to shezv he is 
not only a man of talents, but of feeling and gratitude. 

" SIR, 

u WHEN the hand of sorrow presses heavy upon 
us, and the generality of mankind turn unpitying from 
our complaints, if one appears, and feels for, and com- 
miserates our situation, endeavours all in his power to 
alleviate our condition, our bosoms swell with gratitude, 
and our tongues instinctively pronounce our thanks for 
the obligation. We, therefore, sir, Africans and de- 
scendants of that unhappy race, respectfully beg leave to 
thank yoti for the philanthropic zeal with which you de- 
fended our cause when it was brought before the General 
Government, by which only we can expect to be deliver- 
ed from our deplorable state. We interested ourselves 
in the business, because we knew not but ere long we 
might be reduced to slavery : it might have been said 
that we viewed the subject through a perverted medium, 
if you, sir, had not adopted and nobly supported those 
sentiments which gave rise to our Petition. Though our 
faces are black, yet we are men ; and though many among 
us cannot write, yet we all have the feelings and passions 
of men, and are as anxious to enjoy the birth-right of the 
human race as those who from our ignorance draw an ar- 
gument against our Petition ; when that Petition has in 
view the diffusion of knowledge among the African race, 
by unfettering their thoughts, and giving full scope to the 
energy of their minds. While some, sir, consider us as 
much property, as an house, or a ship, and would seem to 
insinuate, that it is as lawful to hew down the one as to 
dismantle the other, you, sir, more humane, consider us 
part of the human race. And were we to go generally 



52 



into the subject, would say, that by principles of natural 
law our thraldom is unjust. Judge what must be our 
feelings, to find ourselves treated as a species of property, 
and levelled with the brute creation ; and think how 
anxious we must be to raise ourselves from this degraded 
state. Unprejudiced persons who read the documents in 
our possession, will acknowledge we are miserable ; and 
humane people will wish our situation alleviated. Just 
people will attempt the task, and powerful people ought 
to carry it into execution. Seven hundred thousand of 
the human race were concerned in our Petition ; their 
thanks, their gratitude to you, they now express. ...their 
prayers for you will mount to heaven; for God knows 
they are wretched, and will hear their complaints. A 
deep gloom envelopes us ; but we derive some comfort 
from the thought that we are not quite destitute of friends ; 
that there is one who will use all his endeavours to free 
the slave from captivity, at least render his state more 
sufferabk, and preserve the free black in the full enjoy- 
ment of his rights. This address cannot increase the 
satisfaction you must derive from your laudable exertions 
in the cause of suffering humanity, but it serves to shew 
the gratitude and respect of those whose cause you 
espoused. 

" JAMES FORTE N. 

" To the Honourable George Thatcher, 1 
Member of Congress." J 



c. 

Certificate of Emancipation a 

I, CALEB TRUEBLOOD, of the county of Pas- 
quotank, in the province of North Carolina, from mature 
deliberate consideration, and the conviction of my own 
mind, being fully persuaded that freedom is the natural 
right of all mankind, and that no law moral or divine, 
has giv en me a right to, or property in, the persons of my 
fellow-creatures ; and being desirous to fulfil the injunc- 
tion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by doing to 
others as I would be done bv ; do therefore declare, that 
having under nv care a negro man named Moses, aged 
about twenty-three vcars, I do, for myself, my heirs. 



S3 



executors, and administrators, hereby release unto him 
the said Moses, all my right, interest, and claim, or pre- 
tension of claim whatsoever, as to his person, or to any 
estate he may hereafter acquire, without any interruption 
from me, or any person claiming for, by, from, or under 
me. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand 
and seal> this fourth day of the eleventh month, in the 
year of our Lord one thousand, seven hundred, and 
seventy-six. 

CALEB TRUEBLOOD. (Seal) 

Sealed and delivered! JOSEPH HENLEY, 
in the presence of J ZACHARIAL NIXON. 

True Copy, by 

ZACHARIAH NIXON. 



Advertisement, 

TEN SILVER DOLLARS REWARD 

WILL be paid for apprehending and delivering to me, 
my negro man, named Moses, who, after being detected 
of some villainy, ran away this morning about four o'clock ; 
or, I will give five times the sum to any person that will 
make due proof of his being killed, and never ask a ques- 
tion to know by whom it was done. 

He is a likely, black, sensible fellow, about five feet, 
eight or nine inches high ; well set ; large legs (though 
well made) of a smiling countenance j and by trade a 
shoemaker. He formerly belonged to Caleb Trueblood, 
of Pasquotank county ; his relations is in the neighbour- 
hood of Newbegun-creek, and his father belongs to Col. 
Everigin, where it is likelv he will go. 

I ' W. SKINNER. 

Perqs. County, Oct. 29, 1785. 



54 



D. 

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States in Congress assembled. 

The Memorial and Address of the People called Quakers, 
from their Yearly Meeting held in Philadelphia bv Ad- 
journments, from the 25th of the 9th month, to the 29th 
of the same, inclusive, 1797, respectfully sheweth, 

THAT being convened at this our annual solemnity, 
for the promotion of the cause of truth and righteousness, 
we have been favoured to experience religious weight to 
attend our minds, and an anxious desire to follow after 
those things that make for peace. Among other investiga- 
tions, the oppressed state of our brethren of the African 
race, has been brought into view, and particularly the cir- 
cumstance of one hundred and forty-four in North Ca- 
rolina, and many others whose cases have not so fully 
come to our knowledge, who were set free by members 
of our religious society, and again reduced into cruel bon- 
dage, under the authority of existing or retrospective 
laws. Husbands and wives, and children, separated one 
from another, which we apprehend to be an abominable 
tragedy, and with other acts of a similar nature practised 
in other states, has a tendency to bring down the judg- 
ments of a righteous God upon our land. This city and 
neighbourhood, and some other parts, have been visited 
with an awful calamity, which ought to excite an inquiry 
into the cause, and endeavour to do away those things 
which occasion the heavy cloud that hangs over us, the 
inhabitants. It is easy with the Almighty to bring down 
the loftiness of men bv diversified judgments, and to make 
them hear the rod, and him that hath appointed it. We 
wish to revive in your view the solemn engagements of 
Congress, made in the year 1774, as follows: 

" And therefore we do for ourselves, and the inhabit- 
ants of the several colonies whom we represent, firmly 
agree and associate, under the sacred ties of virtue, ho- 
nour, and love of our countrv, as follows : 

Second Article... .We will neither import nor pur- 
chase any slaves imported after the first day of December 
next; after which time we will wholly discontinue the 
Slave-trade ; arid will neither be concerned in it ourselves, 



55 



nor will we hire out our vessels, nor sell our commodities 
or manufactures to those who are concerned in it." 

" Eighth Article. ...And will discountenance and dis- 
courage every species of extravagance and dissipation, 
especially all horse-racing, and all kind of gaming, cock- 
fighting, exhibitions of shews, plays, and other expensive 
diversions and entertainments." This was a solemn 
league and covenant made with the Almighty in an hour 
of distress, and he is now calling upon you to perform 
and fulfil it. But how has this solemn covenant been 
contravened by the wrongs and cruelties practised upon 
the poor African race !....the increase of dissipation and 
luxury, the countenancing and encouragement given to 
play-houses and other vain amusements, and how grossly 
is the Almighty affronted, on the day of the celebration 
of independence ! What rioting and drunkenness, cham- 
bering and wantonness, to the great grief of the sober in- 
habitants, and the disgrace of our national character. 
National evils produce national judgments. We there- 
fore pray, the Governor of the Universe may enlighten 
your understandings, and influence your minds, so as 
to engage you to use every exertion in your power, to 
have these things redressed. With sincere desires for 
your happiness here and hereafter, and that when you 
come to close this life, you may individually be able to 
appeal as a ruler did formerly.. Remember now, O 
Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee, in 
truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which 
is good in thy sight;" we remain your friends and fellow- 
citizens. 

Signed in and on behalf of said meeting, by 

JONATHAN EVANS, 
Clerk to the Meeting this Year. 

From the Committee of the Yearly Meeting to the Com- 
mittee of Congress^ to whom was referred the Memorial 
of the people called ^iiakcrs. 

IN the latter part of the year 1776, several of the 
people called Quakers residing in the counties of Perqui- 
mons and Pasquotank, in the state of North Carolina, 



56 



Liberated their negroes, as it was then clear there was no 
existing law to prevent their so doing; for the law of 1741 
rould not at that time be carried into effect, and they were 
•suffered to remain free, until a law passed in the spring of 
1777, under which they were taken up and sold, contrary 
to the Bill of Rights, recognized in the Constitution of 
that state, as a part thereof, and to which it was an- 
nexed. 

In the spring of 1777, when the General Assembly met 
lor the first time, a law was enacted to prevent slaves from 
being emancipated, except for meritorious services, &c. to 
be judged of by the Count}' Courts, or the General Assem- 
bly, and ordering, that if any should be manumitted in any 
other way, they he taken tip, and the county courts within 
whose jurisdictions they are apprehended, should order 
them to be sold. Under this law, the county courts of Per- 
quimons and Pasquotank in the year 1777, ordered a large 
number of persons to be sold, who were free at the time 
the law was made. In the year 177S, several of those 
cases were by certiorari brought before the superior court 
for the district of Edenton, where the decisions of the 
countv courts M T ere reversed, the superior court declaring, 
that said county courts, in such their proceedings, have 
exceeded their jurisdiction, violated the rights of the sub- 
ject, and acted in direct opposition to the Bill of Rights 
cf this state, considered justly as part of the Constitution 
thereof, by giving to a law not intended to affect this case, a 
retrospective operation, thereby to deprive free men of this 
state of their liberty, contrary to the laws of the land. In 
consequence of this decree several of the negroes were 
again set at liberty ; but the next General Assembly, early 
in 1779, passed a law wherein they mention that doubts 
have arisen, whether the purchasers of such slaves have a 
good and legal title thereto, and confirm the same, under 
which thev were again taken up by the purchaser, and re- 
duced to slavery.* Being much affected with this enor- 
mity, we believed it right to spread it before you: we wish 
not to give unnecessary trouble, but being persuaded that 
righteousness exalts a nation, and promotes the peace 
and happiness of the people, it is the fervent concern of 
our minds that it may more and more prevail. And 
having discharged our duty in this matter, at this time, 

* A flae?rant violation of both law and conscience. 



57 



we leave the subject with yon, and the event to Him who 
has the hearts of all men in his hands ; and are respect- 
fully your friends, 

Signed on behalf of the Committee of our Yearly 
Meeting, 

JOHN PARRISH, 
NICHOLAS WALN, 
THOMAS MORRIS, 
WARNER MIFFLIN, 
JONATHAN EVANS, 
THOMAS STEWARDSON. 
Philadelphia, 22d of First month, 1798. 

Perquimons County, July Term, at Hartford, A. D. 1777, 

THESE may certify, that it was then and there or- 
dered, that the sheriff of the county, to-morrow morning, 
at ten o'clock, expose to sale, to the highest bidder, for 
ready money, at the Court-house door, the several ne- 
groes taken up as free, and in his custody, agreeable to 
law. 

Test. WILLIAM SKINNER, Clerk. 
A true Copy, 25th August, 1791. 

Test. J. HARVEY, Clerk. 

Pasquotank County, September Court, &c, 1777. 

Present, the Worshipful Thomas Boyd, Timothy Hick- 
son, John Paclin, Edmund Chancy, Joseph Reading, 
and Thomas Rees, Esquires, Justices. 

IT was then and there ordered, that Thomas Read- 
ing, Esq. take the free negroes taken up under an act to 
prevent domestic insurrections and other purposes, and 
expose the same to the best bidder, at public vendue, for 
ready money, and be accountable for the same, agreeable 
to the aforesaid act, and make return to this, or the next 
succeeding court, of his proceedings. 

ENOCH REESE, C. C. 

A Copy. 



5S- 



An Account of the Trial of several Negroes who had been 
manumitted by Friends, subsequent to an Act of General 
Assembly of the State of North Carolina, passed at New- 
bern, 1796. 

AT a County Court held at Hartford, in Perquimons, 
North Carolina, Jesse Eason, George Whidbee, Christo- 
pher Wright, Jesse Perry, and Jethro Ballard, active 
justices on the bench. After a considerable time being 
spent, Jasper Charlton, James Iredell, and Samuel 
Johnson, attornies at law, employed by the blacks, evi- 
dently made it appear, agreeably to the Constitution of 
that state, the Bill of Rights, &c. that a retrospective law 
could have no effect on the present occasion ; notwith- 
standing the court gave judgment. Christopher White, 
Jesse Perry, and Jethro Ballard, were for the sale, and 
Jesse Eason and George Whidbee against it. 

State of North Carolina. 

AT a Superior Court of Law, begun and held at the 
Court- house in Edenton, for the District of Edenton, the 
First Day of May, in the Year of our Lord One Thou- 
sand, Seven Hundred, and Seventy-eight, before the 
Honourable Samuel Ashe, Samuel Spence, and James 
Iredell, Esquires, Justices. 

ON motion of William Hooper, Esquire, attorney at 
law, in behalf of the following negroes, viz. Glasgow, 
Tom, Susanna, Jack, Cudjoe, Patience, Hannah, Silla, 
James, Ned, Langa, Phebe, Jacob, Will, Sibb, Cuff, 
Rose, Hannah, Peter, Rose, Dick, Jane, Richard, Jane, 
Pompey, David, Zilpha, Violet, Fanny, Dick, Abraham, 
Judy, Rose, Hannah, David, Charles, Toby, Nero, Pris- 
cilla, Rose, Judith, Jane, Samuel, Hagar, Ann, Sarah, on 
a suggestion that the said persons, though free subjects of 
the state, were sold and enslaved by order of the county 
courts of Perquimons and Pasquotank, in express violation 
of the Constitution of this state, contrary to natural jus- 
tice ; and that there are manifest errors and irregularities 
in the said proceedings. ...ordered, that a certiorari issue, 
unless sufficient cause to the contrarvbe shewn, within the 
three first days of the next term. After going through 
the regularity of the court, as the law directs, the above 
negroes were declared free. Given under my hand, at 
Edenton, the 14-th day of October, Anno Domini 1796. 

SPRUCE MACY, J. S. C. D. E. 



59 



A List of Emancipated Blacks, Taken up and Sold, by order 
of the County Courts of Pasquotank, Perquimons, and 
Chowan, in consequence of several Acts of the General 
Assembly of the State of North Carolina, since the pass- 
ing the first Act, in 1777. 



Blacks, By whom Emancipated. , 

David,* William Albertson. 

Benjamin and Chalk- 



Abraham 

Jane, 
Tom, 
Jacob, 
Jem, 
Harry, 
Csesar, 
Jupiter 
Dublin, 
Cuffee, 
Candace, 
Jack, 



1 



ley Albeson. 
William Albertson. 

John Anderson. 



iah Cannon. 



^ Elihu Albertson. 

^ Jeremi 

Samuel Charles. 
Isaac Elliott. 
Pleasant h3~) James Elliott and 
Children,^ Wife. 



William Griffin. 

^ John Haskitt. 

Joseph Jones. 
Josiah Jourden. 
Isaac Lamb. 
G. and S. Metcalf. 

A ch1d, and } Samuel Mooi ' e ' 

David, Charles Morgan. 

Esther and 



Tom, 

Mingo, 

Juda, 

Rose, 

Sarah, 

Dick, 

Candace, 



Child, 
Rebekah & 

Child, 
Joab, 
Penny, 
Ben, 

Sam, 

Hannah, 
Glasgow, 
Jack,|| 
Cudjoe, 
Tom and 
Wife,fl 
Susanna, 
Patience, 
Hannah 
Priscilla, 



} 



Aaron Morris. 



^ Aaron Morris, 

Zachariah Newby. 
") Thomas Newby, of 
y Pasquotank. 
Keziah Nixon. 

"1 



\ Thomas Newby, 
f Pasquotank. 



of 



Blacks. 
David, 
Peggy, 
Priscilla, 
Jenny, 
Jem, 
Zango, 
Ned, 
Phebe, 
Sam, 
Ann, 
Hagar, 
Francis, 
Charity, 
Francis, 
Sarah, 
Richard, 
Pompey, 
Dill and 
Child, 
Jenny, 

Rose, 

Jonas, 
Bosar, 
Job, 

Hagar,** 
Tobv, 



By whom Emancipated. 
Robert Newby. 



Mark Newby. 



^Mary Nixon. 
Zachariah Nixon. 



.Thomas Nixon, 



Nicholas Nixon. 

"> Thomas Newby, of 
3 Pasquotank. 
Christo. Nicholson, 

Charles Overman. 



Matthew Prichard. 
Tamorand} Tr _ 

child, \ Henr y Pahn - 



-William Robinson, 

Samuel Smith. 
John Sanders. 



Hagar. 
Fanny, 
Job, 
Dick, 
Patience j, 
Dick, 
Lemuel, J 
Frank, J T , 
Ruth and !>J° hn Smith - 

Child, : 
Dorcas, _J 

Esther, Jesse Symons. 
Hasrar, 

n * ^Elizabeth Simons. 

Jennv and 
Child, 



William Townsend. 



* Parted from his wife and children. f Carried to South Carolina from his 
wife and three children. t Carried to the back country. § Mother was 
manumitted. ]| Glasgow and Jack carried a very considerable distance from 

their wives and children. f Tom and wife sold from their children, ** Hagar 
carried to South Carolina from her husband and children- 



60 



Butch-. By w/iovi Emancipated. 



Aaron, 

Juda 

Samson, 

Nero, 

Moses, 

Charles, 

Benjamin, 

Sawney, 

Jacob, 

William, 

Sibba, 

Hagar, 

Cuflee, 

Hannah, 

Rose, 

Jane, 

Ruth, 

Can dace, 

Luke, 

Zilpha, 

Nancy, 

Priscilla, 

Mingo, 



Joseph Thontfon. 
John Trueblood. 

Josiah Trueblood. 

. Caleb Trueblood. 
Aaron Trueblood. 

i- Benjamin White. 



^>Thomas White. 



J 

1 



Caleb White. 



Blacks. 

Lvdia, 
Peter, 
Robin, 
Patience, 
Cancer, 
Ned, 
Violet, 
Fanny, 
Quia, 
Rebekah, 
Jane, 
Rose, 
Robin, 
Dinah, 
Dick, 
Judah, 
Dick, 
Doll, 
Nancy, 
Rose, 
Dinah, 
Jenny and 
Child, 



By whom Emancipated. 

j- William White. 

Margaret White. 

^ Josiah White. 

Benjamin Winslow. 
| Matthew White. 

^ Jacob Wilson. 

^ Lydia White, 

Rachel Williams. 
Caleb Winslow. 
Jacob Winslow. 
Joshua White. 
George Walton. 

J Matthew White. 



Thus it appears, one hundred and thirty-four are gone into captivi 



To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States, in Congress assembled, the Petition and Repre- 
sentation of the undernamed Free Men, respectfully 
sheweth, 

THAT being of African descent, late inhabitants 
and natives of North Carolina, *.o you only, under God, 
can we apply, with any hope of effect, for redress of our 
grievances, having been compelled to leave the state 
wherein we had a right of residence as free men, libe- 
rated under the hand and seal of humane and conscien- 
tious masters ; the validity of which act of justice, in re- 
storing us to our natural right of freedom, was confirmed 
by judgment of the superior court of North Carolina, 
wherein it was brought to trial ; yet not long after this de- 
cision, a law of that state was enacted, under which men 
of cruel dispositions and void of just principle, received 
countenance and authority, in violently seizing, imprison- 
ing, and selling into slavery, such as had been so emanci- 
pated ; whereby we were reduced to the necessity of sepa- 
rating from some of our nearest and most tender connec- 
tions, and of seeking refuge in such parts of the Union 
where more regard is paid to the public declaration in fa- 
vour of liberty, and the common rights of men; several 



61 



hundreds under our circumstance having in consequence 
of the said law been hunted day and night, like be; sts of 
the forest, by armed men, with dogs, and made a prey of, 
as free and lawful plunder. Among others thus exposed, 
I, Jupiter Nicholson, of Perquimons county, North Ca- 
rolina, after being set free by my master Thomas 
Nicholson, and having been about two years employ- 
ed as a seaman in the service of Zachariah Nixon, on 
coming on shore, was pursued by men, with dogs and 
arms, but was favoured to escape- by night to Virginia, 
with my wife, who was manumitted by Gabriel Ccsand, 
where I resided about four years, in the town of Ports- 
mouth, chiefly employed in sawing boards and scantling* 
From thence I removed with my wife to Philadelphia, 
where I have been employed, at times, by water, working 
along shore, or sawing of wood. I left behind me a 
father and mother, who were manumitted by Thomas 
Nicholson and Zachariah Nixon. They have since 
been taken up, with a beloved brother, and sold into cruel 
bondage. 

I, Jacob Nicholson, of North Carolina, being set free 
by my master, Joseph Nicholson, but continuing to live 
with him, till being pursued day and night, I was obliged 
to leave my abode, sleep in the woods and stacks in the 
fields, &c. to escape the hands of violent men, who, in- 
duced by the profit offered them by law, followed this 
course as a business., ..at length, by night, I made my 
escape, leaving a mother, one child, and two brothers, to 
see whom I dare not return. 

I, Job Albert, manumitted by Benjamin Albertson, 
who was my careful guardian, to protect me from being 
afterward taken and sold, provided me with a house to 
accommodate me and my wife, who was liberated by 
William Robertson ; but we were night and da}- hunted 
by men, armed with guns, swords, and pistols, accompa- 
nied with mastiff dogs, from whose violence being one 
night apprehensive of immediate danger, I left my dwell- 
ing locked and barred, and fastened with a chain, lying at 
some distance from it, while my wife was by her kind 
master locked up under his roof. I heard them breaking 
into my house, where, not finding their prey, they got 
but a small booty, a handkerchief of about a dollar value, 
and some provisions ; but not long after, I was discover- 
ed and seized by Alexander Stafford, William Stafford, 
and Thomas Creesay, who were armed with guns and 
clubs. After binding me with my hands behind me, and 



62 



a rope round my arms and body, they took me about four 
miles, to Hartford prison, where I lay four weeks, suffer- 
ing- much from want of provisions ; from thence, by the 
assistance of a fellow-prisoner (a white man) I made my 
escape, and for three dollars was conveyed with mv wife, 
by a humane person, in a covered waggon, by night, to 
Virginia ; where, in the neighbourhood of Portsmouth, I 
continued unmolested about four years, being chieflv en- 
gaged in sawing boards and plank. On being advised to 
move northward, I came with my wife to Philadelphia, 
where I have laboured for a livelihood for upwards of 
two years, in summer mostly along shore in vessels and 
stores, and sawing wood in winter. My mother was set 
free by Phineas Nixon, my sister by John Trueblood, 
and both taken up and sold into slavery ; myself deprived 
ot the consolation of seeing them, without being exposed 
to the like grievous oppression. 

I, Thomas Prichard was set free by my master, Tho- 
mas Prichard, who furnished me with land to raise pro- 
visions for my use, where I built myself a house, cleared 
a sufficient spot of wood-land to produce ten barrels of 
corn, and the second year about fifteen ; the third, had as 
much planted as I supposed would have produced thirty 
barrels. This I was obliged to leave about one month 
before it was fit to gather, being threatened by Holland 
Lockwood, who married my said master's widow, that if 
I would not come and serve him, he would apprehend 
me, and send me to the West-Indies : Enoch Ralf also 
threatened to send me to jail, and sell me for the good of 
the country. Being thus in jeopardy, I left my little farm, 
with my small stock and utensils, and my corn standing, 
and escaped by night into Virginia ; where, shipping my- 
self for Boston, I was through distress of weather landed 
in New- York, where I served as a waiter seven months ; 
but my mind being distressed on account of the situation 
of my wife and children, I returned to Norfolk, in Vir- 
ginia, with a hope of at least seeing them, if I could not 
obtain their freedom; but finding I was advertised in 
the newspapers, twenty dollars the reward for appre- 
hending me, my dangerous situation obliged me to leave 
Virginia. Disappointed of seeing my wife and chil- 
dren, I came to Philadelphia, where I resided in the 
employment of a waiter, upwards of two years. In ad- 
dition to the hardship of our own case, as above set forth, 
ve believe ourselves warranted on the present occasion, 
;n offering to your consideration the singular case of a 



63 



fellow-black now confined in the jail of this city, under 
the sanction of the act of General Government, called the 
Fugitive Law ; as it appears to us a flagrant proof how 
far human beings, merely on account of colour and com- 
plexion, are, through prevailing prejudices, outlawed, and 
excluded from common justice and common humanity, 
by the operations of such partial laws in support of habits 
and customs cruelly oppressive. This man has this many 
years past been manumitted by his master in North Ca- 
rolina, was under the authority of the afore-mentioned 
law of that state, sold again into slavery; and after having 
served his purchaser upwards of six years, made his 
escape to Philadelphia, where he has resided eleven 
years, having a wife and four children ; and by an agent 
of the Carolina claimer, has been lately apprehended and 
committed to prison. His said claimer, soon after the 
man's escaping from him, having advertised him, offering 
a reward of ten silver dollars to any person that would 
bring him back, or five times that sum to any person that 
would produce due proof of his being killed, and no ques- 
tions asked by whom. We beseech your impartial atten- 
tion to our hard condition, not only with respect to our 
personal sufferings as free men, but as a class of that poor 
people, who, distinguished by colour, are therefore with 
a degraded partiality considered by many, even of those 
in eminent stations, as unentitled to that public justice and 
protection which is the great object of government. We 
indulge not a hope, nor presume to ask for the interposi- 
tion of your honourable body beyond the extent of your 
Constitutional power or influence, yet we are willing to 
believe your serious, disinterested, and candid considera- 
tion of the premises under the benign impression of equity 
and mercy, producing upright exertions of what is in your 
power, may not be without some salutary effect, both for 
our relief as a people, and toward the removal of obstruc- 
tions to public order and well-being. If, notwithstand- 
ing all that has been publicly avowed as essential princi- 
ples respecting the extent of human right to freedom, not- 
withstanding we have had that right restored to us so far 
as was in the power of those by whom we were held as 
slaves, we cannot claim the privilege of representation in 
your councils, yet, we trust, we may address you as fellow- 
men, who, under God, the Sovereign Ruler of the Uni- 
verse, are entrusted with the distribution of justice, for 
the terror of evil-doers, and the encouragement and pro- 
tection of the innocent. Not doubting that you are men 



64 



of liberal minds, susceptible of benevolent feelings, and 
clear conceptions of rectitude, to catholic extent, who can 
admit that black people, servile as their condition gene- 
rally is throughout this continent, have natural affections, 
social and domestic attachments and sensibilities, and 
that therefore we may hope for a share in your sympa- 
thetic attention. While we represent that the unconsti- 
tutional bondage in which multitudes of our fellows in 
complexion are held, is to us a subject sorrowfully affect- 
ing, for we cannot conceive their condition (more espe- 
cially those who have been emancipated, and tasted the 
sweets of liberty, and again reduced to slavery, by kid- 
nappers and men-stealers) to be less afflicting or deplora- 
ble than the situation of citizens of the United States cap- 
tivated and enslaved through the unrighteous policy pre- 
val nt m Algiers... .we are far from considering all those 
who retain slaves as wilful oppressors; being well assured 
that numbers in the state from whence we are exiled, hold 
their slaves in bondage, not of choice; but possessing 
them by inheritance, feel their minds burdened under the 
slavish restraint of legal impediments to do that justice 
which they are convinced is due to fellow-rationals. May 
we not be allowed to consider this stretch of power, mo- 
rally and politically, a governmental defect, if not a di- 
rect violation of the declared fundamental principles of 
the Constitution ? And finally, is not some remedy for an 
evil of such magnitude highly worthy of deep enquiry, and 
unfeigned zeal of the supreme legislative body of a free 
and enlightened people ? Submitting our cause to God, 
and humbiy craving your best aid and iniluence, as you 
may be favoured and directed by that wisdom which is 
from above... .wherewith, that you may be eminently dig- 
nified, and rendered more conspicuously, in the view of 
nations, a blessing to the people you represent, is the sin- 
cere prayer of your petitioners. 

JACOB NICHOLSON, 
JUPITER X NICHOLSON, 

mark. 

JOBX ALBERT, 

mark. 

THOMAS X PRICHARD. 

mark. 

Philadelphia, Jan. 23, 1797. 



65 



John Nixon? s Certificate* 

Philadelphia, November th 2d day, 1796. 

THE African people that has escaped for their lives, 
and through mercy has landed safely into a free country ; 
and of those that has through sorrow and pain of heart, 
we have left our father and mother, brother and sisters, 
parents and children, and fled to a city of refuge, and we 
shall shew our names as following: 

Job Albertson, Moses Hallery, 

Jubiter Gipson, Hagar Nicholson, 

Jacob Nicholson, Rose Albertson, 

Thomas Pritchard, Jane Gipson, 

John White, Hannah Morris^ 

Davis Morris, Hester Jeifes, 

Tobias Gipson, Patience White, 

Aaron Gipson, Grace Newby. 

This may certify, that I, John Nixon, of North Caro - 
lina, am personally acquainted with the above subscribed 
names, and that I never knew any thing prejudicial to 
their characters, whilst in their native place, North Caro- 
lina. 

JOHN NIXON. 

Philadelphia, 11th mo. 6th, 1796. 



Case of Ann Joice and her Descendants. 

I cannot peacefully refrain citing a striking instance of 
flagrant cruelty and oppression towards the African 
race, as follows : 

Maryland, Western Shore, General Court, May Term, 1 799. 
Petition for Freedom. 

Charles Mahoney ~) At the Trial of this Case, 
v. C sundry bills of exception were 

The Rev. John Ashton,3 taken'. 

IT appears from the records, that a black woman, 
called Ann Joice, the ancestor of the petitioner, was car- 
ried by her master as a slave from the island of Barba- 
does to England, and afterward brought into this country 
by Lord Baltimore, claiming her as a slave, between the 

K 



66 



years 1678 and 1681, and held as such during her life. It 
appears that Charles Mahoney, plaintiff, obtained judg- 
ment in the General Court in favour of himself, and fif- 
teen hundred of Ann Joice's descendants, who were then 
in the hands of John Ashton, two persons by the name 

of Darnall, and Charles Carroll, of Carroiton, 

principally. It farther appears, that these people, who 
had olDtained their liberty at a heavy expense, by fee- 
ing of lawyers, he. after enjoying the sweets of free- 
dom, for several years, were hunted, taken up, and 
put again under the iron yoke of cruel bondage, by the 
Court of Appeals reversing the judgment of the General 
Court. Thus it appears that judgment is turned backwards. 
How shall these injudicial proceedings be accounted for, 
but by the law-makers, and executors thereof, being slave- 
holders, and so deeply interested in human flesh ; not 
considering that all laws enacted contrary to the laws of 
God are null and void, which appears by those most 
learned in the law of justice and equity. See maxims 
cited by Granville Sharpe on this subject. 



THE END. 



